Friday, February 12, 2010

Farewell to arms?











all Photo@Arijit Sen-All Rights reserved

These are the faces that had unleashed a reign of terror in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam for the last 6 years. Four hundred and eight militants of the Karbi Longri National Liberation Front laying down arms hoping to talk about 'self-rule" with the UPA government. Each surrendered militant will get 2 lakh rupees as a one time grant from the state government and will move to designated camps. I met Habe Tokbi the chairman of the outfit. "No one can guarantee. If problems are not solved, then? After independence sixty years is over. But no development in Karbi Anglong", he said. More than 10,000 square kilometres of Karbi Anglong lie trapped in underdevelopment and terror.The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council is present in pen and paper. Corruption, clashes between Karbis and Dimasas and attacks on Hindi-speaking migrant labourers from Bihar and Nepal have held back any progress. It is also unfortunate that it takes a militant group, a government to legtimise violence and talk development at a so-called arms decommissioing ceremony. Something that takes place often, almost as a routine in some states of northeastern India.

2 comments:

The Reluctant Rebel said...

Its ridiculous how India has treated the North-East over the years but from what I hear the North-East hasn't done itself any favours by electing corrupt officials and squandering the little money they have been given. Sad all the same.

randomrandom said...

It's a mix of both. There is also a lot of stereotyping that takes place. It's easiest for bureaucrats to say, we have released funds and corrupt officials and politicians in northeastern India have misused it. Yes it is very very sad. Urban, elite India does not have the time.